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Down in the catacombs, old channels of water flowed under short bridges, built when people believed undead couldn’t cross running water. Phaedra held one lantern as Eldren navigated the passageway.
She walked slowly as Eldren meandered next to her, one hand trailing along the textured walls. Phaedra held her breath as he stopped, fingers working into a crack she hadn’t seen until he found it. The wall slid back to reveal a much rougher tunnel just beyond. Glancing behind her at their companions, Phaedra beckoned them to follow as she went in after Eldren.
Eldren continued to lead the way, the darkness of the tunnel lit by Phaedra’s lantern and the glowing moss up ahead. Once more, he found another spot and paused. “Something’s wrong.”
“What do you mean?” Phaedra said, one hand drifting to her hand cannon as Eldren drew his.
“The mechanism was activated.”
Phaedra all but threw the lantern and burst into the cavern to see a group of people holding a mechanical heart. Phaedra’s stomach flip-flopped as she saw them, swathed in dark colors and their faces hidden, and fired a shot. Sounds came from all around as one person went up in flames and others drew their weapons. Phaedra held up her wrist and summoned a shield, blocking the spell cannon fire that erupted around her.
She heard swearing and looked down to see a few mechanical bugs race toward the group of people. The people scattered as the bugs chased them, one critter climbing up someone’s pant leg. A man’s scream echoed as he swatted at his clothes, distracted.
A shirt of another one caught fire, and the person dropped to the ground, rolling around as Phaedra dropped her shield long enough to fire again. She paused and aimed her spell cannon, as one of them finally threw up a shield. She put the spell cannon away and drew her cutlass as Luca charged, his own sword glittering in the dim glow from the lichen coating the walls. Phaedra followed suit as Eldren, Torin, and Merethyl drew their own weapons to greet the people pouring out of the exit.
Luca and Phaedra drew their weapons and circled them, waiting for an opening. Phaedra couldn’t see who they were; between the masks and hoods they wore, there were no visible details.
One man came up to her, brandishing his own weapon, and Phaedra engaged. She could see over the enemy combatant’s shoulder that the other two were keeping Luca busy. She refocused on the guy in front of her, who she was more interested in dragging back to Temple. Judging by the way he hacked at her, however, he had no intention of being captured.
An explosion from where they had come startled her, causing Phaedra to stumble. The person she was fighting kicked out then, nailing her in the thigh. Phaedra stumbled again, losing her balance, but instead of following through, he cut and run. She went to chase when a spell cannon roared in her ears, and she watched in shock and horror as Luca went up in flames. Phaedra screamed, feeling the flames dance over her skin as the large man fell to his knees. Something was gripped tightly in his fist. She could feel it digging into their palm as he burned. She clutched her head and shrieked again as she felt Luca die in agony. Cool hands touched her face, forcing her back to the physical world. “Phaedra, Phaedra, Phaedra,” someone chanted. She blinked through the pain—was it hers? Was it Luca’s? She didn’t know where she ended, and Luca began—and a cooling wave of numbness washed over her. “We have to get out,” Torin said, voice dead calm, as she took a breath that stank of acrid fried pork.
Phaedra brushed Torin off and went to Luca, who was just charred leather. She touched her face and realized she was crying, though she didn’t feel anything beyond a distant sadness.
“Phaedra—” someone said behind her. A hand touched her shoulder, gentle, but she ignored it.
“Give me a moment,” she said, too calmly, as she reached out for Luca’s hand. She worked his hand open and removed the scrap of cloth with a blackened something on it. Pocketing the swatch, she turned to Torin. “What did you do?” she asked.
“I separated you from your emotions for now,” he said, looking around. Torin was pale, with sweat beading on his forehead and upper lip. “We have to go,” he said, sounding like he was choking.
***
The spell lasted longer than she expected it would. Torin was silent as the ’ship took off. Failure weighed on everyone as they gathered in the captain’s cabin.
“They have the ‘Death stone now,” Merethyl whispered. “I can’t believe it.”
“War too,” Eldren said, his mouth pressing into a thin line.
“That’s all of them?” Phaedra asked.
“Yeah.” The one word from Merethyl was heavy. Torin got up and left, slamming the door as Simone looked after him with sympathy.
“Phaedra, we can deal with this right now,” Simone said, something kind in her eyes as the older woman looked at her. “Why don’t you go check up on him?”
Phaedra went to find Torin. The edges of the spell were fading, but she hadn’t spent as much time with Luca as Torin had. There was also the nature of their respective relationships and feelings too. She followed the tug of Torin’s heart, finding him at the desk he had written the information on for Temple at, head on his arms. Phaedra stood next to him and gripped his shoulder, causing him to choke up.
“I promised him we’d live. That we’d get out. That I’d get him out and back home to safety.” The words were rough, thick, full of broken things. Phaedra didn’t have to see his face, to know he was crying.
“There is nothing I can do or say that will bring him back. I just want you to know you’re not alone.”
Torin stood up and grabbed her, sobbing, as she wrapped her arms around him. “I promised him I’d save him.”
“Then avenge him,” Phaedra whispered in his ear. “We can avenge him and save the rest of the world in the process.”
Torin said nothing. The only sound that reached her ears was his sobbing.
***
“And so Luca is dead. You failed to protect him. How broken Torin must be.”
Phaedra bristled as she picked up the receiver. “Like you care.”
Cristiano laughed. “Oh, you were listening. I wasn’t sure if you even had this thing on anymore. I’ve been trying to get ahold of you.”
Phaedra scowled. “I didn’t realize I was such an engaging conversationalist.”
Cristiano laughed again. “You are. But you’re also remarkably easy to bait.”
“Don’t you have something better to do?”
“I’m sure I do. But what kind of caring friend would I be if I didn’t offer my condolences for your loss first?”
The words stung, causing Phaedra to choke on air. “You’re no friend at all, if you ask me.”
“All you have to do is give me a chance to prove I’m not the real bad guy here.”
Phaedra thought of Eldren. Of the words he had passed on from Luca. “Oh? Who is it then? Your puppet Aurelius?”
Silence stretched on. Phaedra wondered if she scored a hit. “I guess you’re not as dimwitted as I assumed you were,” he said. “I’ll make sure not to underestimate you again.”
Phaedra paused. Did he just admit to it? “What I want to know is how you managed the whole thing.”
Cristiano laughed. “I’m not giving up my secrets that easy.” His voice rang with mirth. “Maybe once I’ve reeled you back in, I’ll tell you how I pulled it off.”
“It’s not going down so easily.”
“So, did you ask?” Cristiano called over the radio.
Phaedra blinked at the subject change. “What do you mean?”
“About the crystals. Do you know how they were made yet?” His tone was coy, playful, and it grated on Phaedra’s nerves. “I know I mentioned the one specifically powering your prophecy machine, but any of them, really. Have you found out how they’re created yet?”
“Why are you so big on this?” She asked.
“I’m sure as someone working for Temple, you’d want to know more about the technology they developed over the years to combat the growing threat.” His tone was distant, as if trying to imply it was something everyone but her knew.
“I don’t need a history lesson to take you on,” she said.
“You certainly don’t, but as a fellow scholar, I can’t help but suggest a dive into some books on this one.”
“Why does it matter to you?”
“It doesn’t matter at all. I’m not losing to a scamp and her merry band, and this won’t change that at all either way.” he sounded bored. “Just a heads up from one scholar to another as a general courtesy, of course.”
“How kind.”
“You are adorable. That’s what I like about you, you know.”
The hair stood up along Phaedra’s arms. “Right,” she said, sounding as suspicious as she could. “I have no reason to trust you.”
“Which is why you’re not following up on my suggested reading. I know. You’re more predictable than you realize.”
A sound came from behind her and someone ripped the receiver out of her hands to be slammed down onto the cradle. Phaedra turned to see Torin. He looked at her, jaw slack and eyes showing white all around. “you’ve been talking to him?” he asked, voice thick with disbelief.
“I was hoping to get something from him.”
Torin put his head in his hands. “Do you know how dangerous that is?” He grasped her shoulders, squeezing. “Don’t let him get under your skin. Be careful talking to him.”
Phaedra’s heart fluttered with difficulty under the weight of Torin’s emotions. “I’m sorry,” she said. “I was hoping he’d slip up.”
Torin let her shoulders go and shook his head. “He’s betting on that. I won’t tell you not to talk to him, but just be careful.”
Something crossed Phaedra’s mind. “Do you know how the crystals used in radios work?”
“I’m the wrong person to ask. Sorry.” He walked away, disappearing into the ’ship, leaving Phaedra drowning in worry.
